


First Steps

by pipisafoat



Series: Jamieverse [7]
Category: In Plain Sight
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-10
Updated: 2011-06-10
Packaged: 2017-10-20 07:34:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/210290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pipisafoat/pseuds/pipisafoat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Brandi's back, but she isn't herself yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	First Steps

Mary sighs and stretches out on her bed, flinging an arm over her face as Marshall comes out of the bathroom. "Jamie settled yet?" he asks, rubbing the towel over his head.

"Sorry," she says instead of answering, and he shrugs.

"Babies puke. Not your fault he did it in my hair today."

Jamie starts to fuss again, out in the living room, and they both sigh. "Dibs on the kid," Mary says, sitting up again.

"Sure, now that he's already puked," Marshall grouses, flicking his towel gently at her. He tosses it over the bathroom door as Brandi walks in the room, cradling the baby awkwardly. She thrusts him towards them, not meeting their eyes, and is quick to hand him off to Mary. Marshall grabs her arm as she turns to leave.

"Help me make dinner?" he asks, and she follows him silently into the kitchen.

* * *

  
Marshall freezes just out of the sight of the living room and motions for Mary to join him, quietly.

 _What?_ she mouths, tiptoeing over.

 _Listen,_ he tells her, and she leans against him with her eyes closed.

"James Ryan Shannon," Brandi whispers. "James Ryan Shannon. Jamie Shannon."

Mary's body relaxes suddenly against him. He hadn't realized she'd been so tense until now. Taking care of a months-old baby was hard enough without his mother refusing to talk.

* * *

  
"While I'm absolutely thrilled that you'll talk to your son now - he went long enough without seeing you; it'd be criminal for him not to know your voice - it's been _five months_. Are you planning on _ever_ telling me _anything_ by _any_ method other than texting!" Mary glares hard before spinning on her heel and marching out of the kitchen. "You make dinner tonight, if you won't tell me what you want!"

"IT'S NOT MY NIGHT!" Brandi's voice is rough from disuse, but it doesn't affect her volume at all. "Make your own goddamn dinner! I'm not your fucking slave, and I'm not your pity project! So look! I'm talking now! Get a hobby that isn't me!"

Mary whirls back around. "I wouldn't waste my pity on you if you were the only person left on the planet! And trust me, you've been more of a _chore_ than a hobby! At least Jamie's _supposed_ to act like a baby!" She grabs Brandi's arm, squeezing tightly. "I thought I already raised you once. This time it's supposed to be _your_ turn. Your kid, you raise him. I'm not doing you any favors anymore. So get over yourself and step up to the plate. Some of us have jobs to do." She thrusts Brandi away from her roughly and returns to the onions she'd been chopping. Angry tears, onion tears - her sister wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

* * *

  
"You just had to go and make her do all the talking she possibly could to _me_ ," Marshall grumbles, wrapping an arm around Mary's waist and pulling the blanket up over them. "You know you were wrong to yell. You've said as much to me. Now please tell _her_ that so she'll stop complaining."

Mary sighs. "Fine. In the morning. Maybe."

He echoes her sigh. "I don't like the 'maybe', but I'll take what I can get." They lapse into quiet, and he's just about asleep when he hears a noise from the living room.

"Marshall! Mary! Come here!" Brandi shouts, and they both jump out of bed and fling the door open.

"What happened?" Mary asks, charging into the living room, but Brandi's grinning and pointing towards the sofa.

"Look!" she exclaims. Jamie giggles loudly and takes another unsteady step, clutching the couch. "Look at our son!"

Mary softens immediately, reaching behind her to grab Marshall's hand. She tugs him closer and pulls all of them into a hug, Jamie scooped up in the middle. "Ours, huh?"

Brandi ducks her head and smiles. "It takes a village, right?"

"This one certainly takes a household," Marshall replies, kissing Jamie on the forehead.

"You're not gonna try to take him and go?" Mary whispers.

Brandi pulls her sister's head onto her shoulder. "I was afraid you would kick me out and keep him for yourself. Especially since you can't...."

"All together?" she clarifies, and Brandi and Marshall answer in unison.

"All together."


End file.
